Crosby vs. Malkin - Who Is The Better 1st Overall Fantasy Pick?

Sometimes having the 1st overall pick in your fantasy hockey draft is a bad thing. Everyone has an opinion as to who they would take, but if your pick flops, all your buddies are quick to tell you they would have picked "the other guy".

Whether you are in an NHL hockey pool with your friends, or playing in a snake draft type of Daily Fantasy Hockey pool, the 1st overall pick is both a blessing and a curse.

This year and possibly for the next few years, the choice for the #1 NHL fantasy pick will be between two guys in most pools – Sidney Crosby or Evgeni Malkin.

Both have led the league in scoring. Both have won the Art Ross Trophy (Malkin twice, Crosby once). And, ironically, both play on the same team - the Pittsburgh Penguins.

So who do you pick 1st overall?

Here are the advantages and disadvantages of each choice...

Advantages of Picking Crosby 1st Overall

Plays the number one center role – They are both centers, but Crosby is the captain so he will usually get the 1st shift on the ice.

Better faceoff guy – Crosby’s career faceoff percentage is better than Malkin, which means over a season he should squeeze out more ice time.

Disadvantages of Picking Crosby 1st Overall

Health Risk – Let’s be honest, Crosby is a big body check away from never playing NHL hockey again. He is healthy now, but will he survive the whole season?

Not a goal scorer – Don’t get me wrong, Crosby can score, but he is more of a playmaker and in leagues that value goals more than assists, Crosby may not get you as many fantasy points.

Advantages of Picking Malkin 1st Overall

He can Score – If your NHL Fantasy pool gives you more points for goals than assists, Malkin is better at putting the biscuit in the basket

He can hit – Some leagues will give you fantasy points for hits and penalty minutes. Malkin is tougher and is more likely to mix it up netting you more NHL fantasy points.

Pretty sure bet to play the full season – Aside from 2011 when an injury took out a chunk of his NHL season, Malkin plays the majority of his games and doesn’t seemed to get nagging injuries that take him out of the lineup.

Disadvantages of Picking Malkin 1st Overall

Trade Bait? – Not saying that it’s happening, but if there was to be a trade of one of the two stars out of Pittsburgh, we would bet that Malkin would be the one to go. If a trade was to happen, Malkin could be surrounded by lesser talents and his numbers could suffer because of it.

Still #2 – He is the #2 center on the Penguins, which will leave him with less ice time than Crosby.

So who should you Pick?

If goals and assists are even points in your NHL fantasy league and you can suffer watching him getting hit and praying he gets back up, then Crosby is the better pick.

Long term, the Penguins will continue to build their team around Crosby and ultimately with salary cap issues, the Penguins will be forced to trade Malkin away.

Crosby has more of a play-making talent that will score him more points through a regular full NHL season more often than Malkin, and in the long run, Crosby should get you more fantasy points for your team in which ever format you are playing in.

Plus - chicks dig Crosby!

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